Pure of Heart
by Penfold66
Summary: Merlin could live a life filled tranquility, respect, recognition and love - is he tempted? What happens during the time between Anhora capturing Merlin in the Labyrinth of Gedref and Arthur finding them on the beach. Season One, Episode Eleven "The Labyrinth of Gedref". Missing scene.


Merlin had been rushing around for what felt like hours inside the Labyrinth desperately trying to find Arthur. He had a very bad feeling about what might have already happened to his master in this eerie and claustrophobic place. He had tried to use his magic several times to locate Arthur but the Labyrinth was obviously enchanted because he could sense nothing at all - even his sense of direction and time seemed to have been utterly scrambled as soon as he'd gotten into this place. He was beginning to get seriously worried wondering if Arthur felt like this too, and if he was coping with this feeling of dislocation. He barrelled around yet another corner that looked exactly like the last hundred he'd passed and almost ran straight into Anhora. The old man (was he a man, even?) was standing with his back to Merlin holding an enormous broadsword.

In an instant Merlin's sense of desperation gave way to utter fury. Why the hell was the old man standing ready with a huge broadsword? "You said Arthur would face a test and here you are preparing a trap" he shouted accusingly.

Anhora regarded him cooly and said, "The trap isn't for Arthur, it is for you" , then without a pause went on to incant "Gehethen", as he pointed the sword at Merlin.

At Anhora's last word vines suddenly sprang from the hedge closest to Merlin and wrapped their way around his body, pinning his arms and legs in place and tightening alarmingly around his chest. He wasn't sure if his sudden inability to breathe was caused by the choking vine or by a rising panic. He desperately struggled against both. Breathing as steadily as he could he summoned the magic from deep within him calling on it to loosen the vines that bound him. Nothing happened. He could feel no pulse of life from within the binding vine and could connect to nothing in it's being to make it respond to his earth magic. He tried physical force but the thing just seemed to grow and bind him ever tighter the more he struggled against it. Seriously worried about losing the ability to breathe and seeing grey spots at the edge of his vision, he desisted from his futile struggling.

Anhora stood in front of him, broadsword now blade-down resting on the earth. The old man was resting his hands on the hilt and eyeing Merlin's struggles impassively. Merlin stood limp and defeated in his bonds with his head hung between his shoulders as he regained his breath. After a while he looked up at Anhora through his fringe panting half in terror and half in utter helpless fury.

"What are you doing? Why are you holding me? I came to you for help and now you are trying to kill me? I trusted you! How the hell can you condemn Arthur for killing an innocent Unicorn when you are prepared to sacrifice me? Who are you? What are you?" Merlin's voice rose as he fired off these accusations and tears sprung unbidden to the corner of his eyes.

Anhora, the irritating whatever-he-was continued to stand impassively as Merlin fired off this tirade. In his ire, Merlin had started to struggle against his bonds again, and the vines had begun to tighten again, knocking the breath out of him. He stilled once again.

"Have you finished?" asked Anhora, almost serenely.

"One more question" said Merlin through gritted teeth trying not to move despite his utter fury. "Why have you trapped me? Are you punishing me? Because - as you are well aware - I killed no Unicorn"

"No Merlin" said Anhora, "Indeed you killed no Unicorn. Neither did you prevent your master from slaying it. You possess magic do you not?"

"Y-yes" said Merlin reluctantly (there was obviously no sense denying it - Anhora would have seen his eyes glowing gold as he tried to loosen the bonds of the vine). "I have a little"

Anhora's eyes twinkled and a hearty laugh broke unbidden from him, startling Merlin somewhat. "A little!" he chuckled, "A little? The most powerful sorcerer this earthly realm has ever known says he has 'A little' magic."

"Wh-what?" said Merlin a little timidly, "what do you mean 'The most powerful sorcerer this earthly realm has ever known'? I think you might be confusing me with somebody else, I'm just a simple village boy with a -um-special talent"

"Oh Merlin, Merlin, Merlin - or should I say 'Emrys'" said Anhora shaking his head and still chuckling. Suddenly his countenance changed and he regained his former dour composture. "Everything around you vibrates and glows with your power, there is a golden aura about you which is almost too bright to look at - can you not sense it?"

Merlin frowned and gazed up and about in his immediate surroundings and shook his head, "Nope" he said belligerently, "can't see a thing except for hedges and sky. And you. And a big sharp sword."

"It is no wonder that you happened upon the Unicorn" mused Anhora, ignoring Merlin's interruption, "It was probably so drawn to your light that it lost it's natural caution and disregarded the hunters surrounding it." He stopped and looked at Merlin. "Was that your role, warlock? To distract the creature so that your Prince could kill it? How could you do such a thing to a fellow creature of magic?"

"Wait...what?" exclaimed Merlin indignantly, "No! No I was not playing decoy! I would never help to kill such a beautiful creature! I was trying to make it go away but it just stood there and made big-eyes at me!"

"You could have used your magic to stop the bolt that slayed it" snapped Anhora abruptly and accusingly.

"I could not" Merlin fired back. "I was surrounded by Knights of Camelot. If they found out that I had magic the next crossbow bolt would have been aimed at me!"

"You serve these petty Knights and Camelot's Prince, Emrys" said Anhora, cutting in on Merlin's tirade. "Why would you do that?"

"It's my job" said Merlin, shrugging, "It's what I do"

"But why?" insisted Anhora. "Your power is almost boundless! You could have the forces of nature and the creatures of magic almost entirely at your bidding. You have the power to reduce the great citadel of Camelot to ruins and to end the tyranny of the King there who has spent twenty years destroying all that we hold precious. How can you continue to serve The Prince knowing that he would see you burn if he knew what you truly were?"

Merlin said nothing. He stood staring at the old man and shook with anger.

"You should not remain with these people, Emrys. They are not of your kind. They care nothing for you and they will destroy you and cast you aside. You should turn your back on this Prince of yours and join with the Druids. Your powers could help bring magic back to this land. Turn away from them..."

"STOP!" bellowed Merlin, unable to restrain himself any longer, "YOU'RE WRONG! YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

"Oh?" asked Anhora, "and of this you are certain?" As he said this he raised the broadsword and slowly moved it's point toward Merlin's forehead. Despite his bonds Merlin tried with all his strength to pull away, and thrashed his head about to avoid the blade. His eyes started to glow gold as he summoned some kind of defensive wall around himself.

"Relax Emrys" said Anhora, "I will do you no harm. I simply want to show you a vision of what you could be if you gave up this servant's life in the Court of the magic-hating King"

As he spoke he gently touched the blade to the centre of Merlin's forehead and suddenly the Labyrinth and indeed Anhora himself fell away. Instead Merlin found himself in a town that he did not recognise. The surrounding countryside and woodlands were reminiscent of Ealdor, but the town was much much more prosperous than his tiny home village. The houses were well kept and the inhabitants looked healthy and well fed. No sign of conflict or famine blighted this place. The market square was bustling and filled with good produce. Children ran around as their parents shopped and Merlin was delighted to see that a good proportion of them used magic in their games that they made no attempt to hide and that were accepted without question by everyone around them. Indeed the other children delighted to see levitating fruits, or plumes of water snaking around after them. Amongst the stalls in the market were several healers, where people queued to have their illnesses cured. Merlin walked out into the woodland surrounding the town and could feel the happy vibration of magic all around. He glimpsed a family of Unicorns grazing serenely in a glade and water sprites and nymphs seated by a quiet pond. In a modest settlement at the edge of a magnificent lake he found a large group of Druids. They lived a simple life, but at the centre of the settlement was a great round hall where scholars and priests sat and discussed the Great Earth Magic, and passed their knowledge onto the children. As he wandered through this realm, Merlin slowly began to realise that wherever he went, both humans and creatures would incline their heads in a respectful bow as he passed. Here, he was the mighty Emrys, bringer of peace and prosperity. Merlin found himself heading towards a hut at the edge of the Druid settlement that he knew was home. As he entered he was greeted by a woman of ethereal beauty, shorter than himself with long brown hair, soft brown eyes and full bow-shaped lips. She smiled shyly at him as he entered before encompassing him in a tight hug and kissing him. As she hugged closer, Merlin felt the small swell of her stomach and knew it to be his unborn child. He smiled down at her and moved in again to capture her mouth in a kiss. His heart soared and deep in his soul he mused that he had not felt such contentment and love since the first time he had kissed Arthur...

As suddenly as the vision came upon him, it left. Thinking of Arthur had bought him back to himself and his current reality of being bound by vines in the labyrith, desperately trying to find his Prince. The sudden emergence from this vision caused Merlin to let out a burst of magic which flung the broadsword and the man holding it back a few feet.

"No! This isn't real!" shouted Merlin, "It is not my destiny to do these things. I don't desire this recognition. It is my destiny to serve Arthur, to help build the Kingdom of Albion"

Anhora regained his footing and said cooly, "You are a powerful warlock, Emrys. You can choose your own destiny, why do you insist on twining it together with this mere mortal?"

"Because it's my destiny" said Merlin through gritted teeth, "and because I love Arthur with all my being. Nothing you can say or do will change that. Stop trying"

"Very well" said Anhora after a long pause in which he searched Merlin's face. With an almost casual flick of the broadsword he spelled away the suffocating vines. Merlin stumbled forward as he was freed from thier grasp and gulped in a huge breath as he rubbed at his arms to stimulate the bloodflow back into them.

As he regained his composture Merlin stood up straight and looked Anhora in the eyes. "What now?"

"You have shown yourself willing to sacrifice your own chance of greatness and personal happiness to serve and support the one you love", said Anhora. "You have proven yourself to be Pure of Heart. Now it is time to test Prince Arthur and to see if he is worthy of your love and devotion".

As he spoke he led Merlin along a pathway and through to a rocky beach. Merlin blinked in the sudden harsh sunlight and saw a rough wooden table sitting rather incongrously at the water's edge. Even more incongrous were the two fine engraved silver goblets sitting upon it. Anhora motioned for Merlin to sit. Just as he had done so and sat pondering the goblets and wondering what this test might be, his golden Prince marched through the gateway and onto the beach...


End file.
